Castillo de El Cuerno (Fuentes de León, Badajoz): its late antique phase and the location of a worship area dated to the visigothic period

Durante las excavaciones arqueológicas llevadas a cabo en el castillo de El Cuerno (Fuentes de León, Badajoz) se pudo documentar una mezquita que fue construida con materiales reutilizados. Algunos de esos materiales indicarían claramente la existencia de una importante fase tardoantigua, con un edificio de culto dedicado a San Vicente que debió de ser derribado para construir la mezquita. La singularidad de los materiales también aporta datos sobre los contactos entre al-Ándalus y los reinos del norte en la Alta Edad Media.The archaeological excavations carried out in the Castillo de El Cuerno (Fuentes de León, Badajoz) enabled the identification of a mosque built with recycled materials. Some of these materials point at the existence of an important late antique stage, as there was a place of worship to Saint Vincent that was demolished in order to erect the mosque. The uniqueness of the materials also provides information about the contacts between Al-Andalus and the kingdoms in the North during the High Middle Ages.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad FFI2012-39395-C02-01 HAR2012-36963-C05-0

Overexpression of CYB5R3 and NQO1, Two NAD\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e-Producing Enzymes, Mimics Aspects of Caloric Restriction

Calorie restriction (CR) is one of the most robust means to improve health and survival in model organisms. CR imposes a metabolic program that leads to increased stress resistance and delayed onset of chronic diseases, including cancer. In rodents, CR induces the upregulation of two NADH‐dehydrogenases, namely NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (Nqo1) and cytochrome b5 reductase 3 (Cyb5r3), which provide electrons for energy metabolism. It has been proposed that this upregulation may be responsible for some of the beneficial effects of CR, and defects in their activity are linked to aging and several age‐associated diseases. However, it is unclear whether changes in metabolic homeostasis solely through upregulation of these NADH‐dehydrogenases have a positive impact on health and survival. We generated a mouse that overexpresses both metabolic enzymes leading to phenotypes that resemble aspects of CR including a modest increase in lifespan, greater physical performance, a decrease in chronic inflammation, and, importantly, protection against carcinogenesis, one of the main hallmarks of CR. Furthermore, these animals showed an enhancement of metabolic flexibility and a significant upregulation of the NAD+/sirtuin pathway. The results highlight the importance of these NAD+ producers for the promotion of health and extended lifespan

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

CALYPSO 2019 Cruise Report: field campaign in the Mediterranean

This cruise aimed to identify transport pathways from the surface into the interior ocean during the late winter in the Alborán sea between the Strait of Gibraltar (5°40’W) and the prime meridian. Theory and previous observations indicated that these pathways likely originated at strong fronts, such as the one that separates salty Mediterranean water and the fresher water in owing from the Atlantic. Our goal was to map such pathways and quantify their transport. Since the outcropping isopycnals at the front extend to the deepest depths during the late winter, we planned the cruise at the end of the Spring, prior to the onset of thermal stratification of the surface mixed layer.Funding was provided by the Office of Naval Research under Contract No. N000141613130

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701

Actas del V Congreso ISUF-H Costa Rica 2021: Ciudades espontáneas versus ciudades planificadas: distintos retos, distintas realidades

En el año 2021 celebramos en Costa Rica la V edición del Congreso ISUF-H, los días 1, 2 y 3 de diciembre, con la Escuela de Arquitectura de la Universidad de Costa Rica como anfitriona del evento. El congreso “Ciudades espontáneas versus ciudades planificadas: distintos retos, distintas realidades” propuso como eje central una reflexión crítica sobre los procesos de urbanización planificada y urbanización espontánea, en el cual se fomente un abordaje de las ciudades como expresión de organización social, económica, ambiental y cultural, enfatizando el carácter ideológico de la urbanización y subrayando su continua construcción como resultado de construcciones complejas. La celebración de un nuevo congreso en América Latina, permitió reforzar la tradición crítica en el abordaje de las ciudades, y reforzar también la necesidad de plantear una perspectiva latinoamericana de los estudios urbanos, y por consiguiente de una teoría urbana latinoamericana. En esta ocasión el congreso se centró en ahondar en la temática de la forma urbana, desde perspectivas transversales que involucren las amplias disciplinas que asumen como objeto de discusión las problemáticas de la ciudad contemporánea y cuestionan la dicotomía planteada entre lo espontáneo y lo planificado. Para la Escuela de Arquitectura de la Universidad de Costa Rica y su Laboratorio de Ciudad y Territorio es un honor haber podido llevar a cabo esta nueva edición del congreso de la Asociación ISUF-H como segunda sede en un país latinoamericano. Relevante para fortalecer la temática de la forma urbana en la región, reforzando alianzas y estableciendo nuevas redes que permitan compartir conocimientos a partir de las experiencias de esas diversidades urbanas. Auspiciar el debate en torno a la morfología urbana y las diferencias entre esas ciudades espontáneas y las planificadas, fue una oportunidad para reunir a expertos de las distintas latitudes hispánicas.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ingeniería::Facultad de Ingeniería::Escuela de Arquitectur

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

Moderate overexpression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase improves healthspan in mice. Implications in skeletal muscle regeneration

An enormous increment in the average lifespan of diverse populations occurred worldwide in the 20th century. In the last 10–15 years, the importance has changed from extending average and even maximal longevity to favoring healthy aging, and many researchers have focused their studies on the aim at extending healthspan. Prolonging lifespan without taking care of improving healthspan can derive in a long time of living with disabilities and constitutes a risk factor for the old population to suffer a higher prevalence of aging-related diseases. Indeed, modern disease treatments frequently diminish mortality without any effect on the deterioration of overall health. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the biology of aging allows the design of interventions and treatments oriented to diminish chronic diseases. Many theories agree in considering that the underlying cause of aging is the accumulation of molecular damage, which is originated principally by reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this regard, the free radical theory of aging postulated by Denham Harman in 1956, states that aging and the degenerative diseases associated with it are due to the progressive and irreversible accumulation of oxidative damage caused by ROS. The interventions aim at potentiating the antioxidant systems have acquired much relevance in the field, and it has been demonstrated that the overexpression of antioxidant enzymes in mice improves healthspan and, in some few cases, increases lifespan. Protection against oxidative damage largely relies on the reductive power of the molecule nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate in its reduced form (NAPDH), whose levels are mostly determined by the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). Genetic manipulation is one of the mechanisms by which we can act on the levels of ROS in the organism. The general aim of this PhD thesis is to study in vivo the effect of G6PD moderate overexpression on oxidative stress parameters and on several indicators of organismal functionality declining with age, as well as to determine the effect of this genetic manipulation on the skeletal muscle regeneration capacity. This general objective is to be achieved using a transgenic mouse model with moderate ubiquitous overexpression of human G6PD under the control of its natural promoter (named as G6PD-Tg mice). The results show that G6PD-Tg mice present ~ 2-fold overexpression of G6PD mRNA, a similar increase in G6PD protein levels, and higher G6PD activity in the tissues examined. This overexpression is accompanied by an increase in NADPH levels, as well as higher plasma uric acid and lactate levels, indicating an activation of the PPP pathway. In addition, G6PD-Tg mice have lower levels of ROS-derived damage compared to their control littermates. In particular, females and males accumulate less oxidized DNA in the liver and brain, and females also display in the liver lower levels of lipid peroxidation as well as an increase in the GSH:GSSG ratio, due to higher GSH levels. All of this is accompanied by partial protection from aging-associated functional decline, including extended median lifespan in females, improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in males, and better neuromuscular fitness in females. However, skeletal muscle regeneration after cardiotoxin injury is not modified in young G6PD-Tg female mice. This genetic manipulation does not overstimulate protein synthesis. On the contrary, it induces a prooxidant environment, which might be attributed to the NADPH oxidase enzyme. The main conclusion of this PhD thesis is that moderate systemic overexpression of G6PD constitutes a beneficial intervention in mice for improving healthspan. This improvement is achieved through higher cellular NADPH levels and, as a consequence, better protection from the age-related ROS damage. This genetic manipulation neither improves or worsens skeletal muscle regeneration

Effect of Cropping System and Humidity Level on Nitrate Content and Tipburn Incidence in Endive

Tipburn is an important disorder caused by a calcium deficiency that affects the marketability of endives. Genotype, air relative humidity, and temperature are directly involved in tipburn occurrence. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of cropping systems and relative humidity on the marketable yield, nitrate accumulation, and incidence of tipburn in endives. Two cultivars were evaluated in pots (‘Cuartana’ and ‘Natacha’), two cropping systems (greenhouse and open-field), and in two different air humidity levels (high level: plants under a plastic tunnel with an extra supply of humidity with micro-sprinklers, and low level: plants without an extra supply of humidity and outside of a plastic tunnel) during two years (2013 and 2014) in different growing seasons. Nitrate content was determined by reflectometry, and tipburn was evaluated using a qualitative scale. Results showed that tipburn was favored under greenhouse with low humidity levels, with 40–60% plants affected. ‘Natacha’ was more susceptible to tipburn (>20% plants affected) than ‘Cuartana’ (<20% plants affected). Leaf nitrate accumulation was favored by the highest temperatures (greenhouse). It is concluded that in our conditions, tipburn incidence in endives depends on the interaction of genotype and the environmental conditions. Nitrate content was more influenced by the temperature than by the cultivars used

APLICACIÓN DE DIFERENTES SOLUCIONES NUTRITIVAS Y DOSIS DE RIEGO EN CULTIVO PROTEGIDO DE Physalis peruviana L

[ES] El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la respuesta de las plantas de Physalis a la aplicación de diferentes dosis de riego y soluciones nutritivas, en términos productivos y de desarrollo vegetativo. Para ello, se emplearon dos dosis de riego D1 (dosis baja: 50%ETc) y D2 (dosis media: 100%ETc) y tres soluciones nutritivas con diferentes concentraciones de nitratos S1 ([NO3 - ] =7.91 mmol·L-1 ); S2 ( [NO3 - ]=12.41 mmol·L-1 ); S3 ([NO3 - ]=16.91 mmol·L1 ). Las mejores respuestas productivas se dieron con la solución S2 y la dosis D2 debido al mayor número de frutos formados. El aumento de la concentración de nitratos aumentó la cosecha con la dosis D1 mientras que la redujo con la dosis D2. Las plantas con un mayor peso seco de la parte aérea y mayor altura se obtuvieron con las soluciones S2 y S3 y la dosis D2. Las soluciones nutritivas empleada y la dosis de riego no ejercieron influencia en las características cualitativas de los frutos. Las mayores eficiencias de riego se consiguieron con las soluciones S2 y S3 con la dosis de riego más baja (D1)Gromaz Roig, A.; Torres Rubio, JF.; Pascual Seva, N.; San Bautista Primo, A.; López Galarza, SV.; Pascual España, B.; Alagarda Pardo, J.... (2015). APLICACIÓN DE DIFERENTES SOLUCIONES NUTRITIVAS Y DOSIS DE RIEGO EN CULTIVO PROTEGIDO DE Physalis peruviana L. En XXXIII CONGRESO NACIONAL DE RIEGOS. Valencia 16-18 junio de 2015. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/CNRiegos.2015.1501OC